Once seen as being on the wrong side of the tracks, Zona Tortona is a storied neighbourhood in south-west Milan in the throes of a dramatic transformation. Every April it thrums with sharply dressed movers and shakers from the world's design industry, filling their boots with the exhibitions, installations and pop-up spaces that take over the area. An equally directional crowd follow suit during Milan Fashion Week. But beyond the blockbuster events that temporarily swamp the place, Zona Tortona's new-found appeal is year-round.

The design store at MUDEC, Zona Tortona

Carlotta Coppo

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Cut off from the lively neighbouring districts of Navigli and Ticinese by a tangle of train lines and the Naviglio Grande canal, Zona Tortona existed in isolation for a long time. An economic crisis in the 1960s decimated its heavy industry, seeing factories left dormant and the population scattered. Yet those workers who weathered the decline have since witnessed its rebirth with the arrival of a new creative set and cultural institutions, including the David Chipperfield-designed MUDEC (Museo delle Culture di Milano) - a vast destination gallery that has put the area firmly back on the map. Now this architectural patchwork of former factories, warehouses and workshops, small neighbourhood parks and traditional case de ringhiera (the traditional workers' houses characterised by iron railings) is home to boutique hotels, thrift stores and galleries, opening up in tricky-to-find spots between the industrial properties.

Zona Tortona during Milan Fashion Week

Wayne Tippetts/Alamy

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One of the area's original pioneers is Gisella Borioli, who founded Superstudio 13 - Italy's largest photographic studio - just off via Tortona back in 1983. According to Borioli, the district was in danger of becoming deserted but Superstudio 13's arrival - lured by the availability of large-scale, cheap real estate - helped spark a revival. In the decades that followed, fashion brands, design studios and creative agencies have set up shop, giving Zona Tortona identity and purpose. 'The Tortona district was born spontaneously by passionate people who took risks without making economic evaluations,' she says. 'This small group of friends put their heart and vision into it and collaborated in the same adventure. Everything is more beautiful now.'

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This sense of community has fostered an edgy blend of old and new, with traditional osterias and revived craft studios sitting alongside contemporary art spaces, cult cinemas and trendsetting restaurants. And new enterprises continue to appear, taking advantage of Zona Tortona's industrial spaces and entrepreneurial spirit, making it a constantly inspiring place to catch Milan at its most experimental.

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Maido

Set on a lively stretch of via Savona, Maido keeps a loyal local contingent sated with street-food-inspired okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancakes) and fragrant noodle dishes, served in colourful, pocket-sized surrounds.

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One of Zona Tortona's sleekest spots, this plant-lined micro distillery opposite MUDEC doubles as a bar and restaurant and - as well as its signature gin - offers innovative cocktails and a globally influenced fine-dining menu that spans poké and pasta.

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More hole in the wall than bar, this tiny pub punches above its weight with a cosy, conspiratorial atmosphere and knowledgeable bar staff willing to talk you through the lovingly curated list of artisan ales, lagers and stouts from around the world.

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MUDEC

This vast factory space has been transformed into a cultural hub that hosts blockbuster exhibitions, including - recently - Wassily Kandinsky and Jean-Michel Basquiat. It also contains more than 7,000 artworks, objets, textiles and musical instruments from every continent.